Kansas only average on lobbying disclosures

Kansas received a “C” grade on lobbying disclosures, according to a new study by the Sunlight Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group. Kansas rated best on revealing which pieces of legislation lobbyists are seeking to influence and on requiring lobbyists to itemize their expenses. It received lower scores on its expenditure reporting threshold, public access to lobbyist registration and expenditure forms, and disclosures of how much lobbyists are paid by a client. Lawmakers, who say they want transparent government, shouldn’t be satisfied with a middle-of-the-pack grade. – Phillip Brownlee